Claims Handler/Paralegal - Legal Indemnity
Department: Professional and Commercial Risk - Claims Handling
Employment Type: Permanent
Location: Bristol
Description
Legal Indemnity policies are issued to provide cover for losses arising due to defects in the title to property. Our team advises on the full range of claims and policy wordings including absence of easement, restrictive covenant, rights to light, defective title, planning and building regulation issues. Policyholders can be individuals, commercial property owners/developers or their lenders. Claims range from a neighbour dispute to complex, high-value litigation regarding development of land. Settlement of the claims involves creative thinking with a view to avoiding litigation wherever possible.
The Claims Handling team also works across a variety of service lines, including law, construction, architecture, property consultants, financial services, and accounting, offering tailored advice for each sector. Our expertise covers a wide range of claims, from straightforward disputes to complex, high-value cases, assessing professional standards and mitigating risks for our clients. We also handle Management Liability claims i.e. directors and officers and employment practices liability claims.
The Claims Handling Team sits within the Professional and Commercial Risks team in our Bristol office. The team is ranked in Tier 1 in both the Legal 500 and Chambers directories, with a number of leading individuals named. It includes commercial litigation together with the longest established professional negligence team in Bristol, acting for most of the leading insurers, as well as large professional services firms themselves including leading global surveyors, solicitors and insurance brokers. Alongside the team sits a market leading claims handling team, DAC Beachcroft Specialist Claims Services, handling several thousand Professional Indemnity and Management Liability claims on an outsourced basis on behalf of London Market Insurers.
This role is a claims handling/paralegal role within the Claims Handling Team to handle Legal Indemnity claims, Professional Indemnity and/or Management Liability claims
Key Responsibilities
The overall purpose of this role is to provide a timely, professional and high-quality service to clients in the management of Legal Indemnity claims, Professional Indemnity and/or Management Liability claims. You will have delegated authority from the insurer to make coverage decisions in claims worth up to £25k. Above that value you will report to the insurer and provide instructions to panel solicitors. The role will require you to:
- Manage a varied caseload under supervision. This will include developing a knowledge of property law, insurance law and coverage issues as well as the civil procedure rules and aspects of alternative dispute resolution
- Handle a variety of claims against professions as well as building an understanding of each profession’s own rules, procedures and regulatory framework and/or claims under Management Liability policies
- Conduct the review of new cases, completing case checklist to identify coverage issues
- Assess quantum, legal position and establish strategy for the claim
- Draft correspondence to policyholders/brokers requesting additional information as required
- Resolve claims through negotiation of settlement, rebuttal of claim and/or declining of cover
- Review panel reports and obtain instructions when appropriate
- Maintain ongoing contact with the insurer and policyholder throughout the process to report on progress and take further instructions
- Play a key role in developing and maintaining client relationships
- Support the Legal Indemnities team in claims review meetings with the insurer
- Ensure that the client’s brand and methodology are promoted effectively in all dealings with third parties
- Instruct experts and external counsel where appropriate
- Ensure that case management system and hard copy files are updated with diary dates as required by the case
- Assume responsibility for quality control and client protocol compliance on own caseload, including accuracy and timeliness of record keeping, file management and management reporting and information
- Ensure that the DAC Beachcroft brand and standards are maintained in managing the outputs of other panel firms
- Handle confidential information in line with the firms data security protocols
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
The Ideal Candidate
- Graduate calibre with an excellent academic record and/or previous experience of working as a claims paralegal or similar within the field of professional indemnity is desirable
- IT literate with working knowledge of Word and Excel. Good keyboard skills
- Knowledge/previous experience of case management systems would be an advantage but training will be provided
Personal Skills
- Client focused with an ability to build strong relationships with client and third party contacts at all levels
- Able to work to deadlines, prioritise own workload effectively under pressure and manage conflicting priorities
- Proactive and energetic with a tenacious approach to identifying issues and solving problems
- Quality and customer service oriented with a concern for accuracy and an eye for detail
- Team oriented. A collegiate approach to sharing knowledge and working with colleagues across locations is essential
- Able to progress tasks using own initiative, seeking guidance and input from others where appropriate
- Committed and enthusiastic with a mature attitude to work and a desire to commit long term to a career in this field
- Confident oral and written communication skills
